TROY - The murder last March of a local rapper on a city street corner wasn't just a random shooting, according to a new indictment unsealed in Rensselaer County Court today, and the original suspect allegedly didn't act alone.

The new charges in the case of murdered rapper Sha-Kim Miller, 36, unsealed Thursday revealed a conspiracy to ambush and kill the up-and-coming musician, and added to the growing list of defendants.

Originally charged in the case was Allen McBee, 19, of Watervliet, whose trial was only days away. He will now be joined at the defense table by Quintril Clark, who was brought into Supreme Court Justice Andrew Ceresia's courtroom in chains and a prison jumpsuit to face charges.

Clark and McBee were both charged in the superseding indictment with second-degree murder and conspiracy in the second degree, both A-1 felonies carrying potential life sentences.

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Both were brought in to court, waving a reading of the indictment as photographers, reporters and onlookers watched the proceedings. The indictment also charges a third, as yet unnamed defendant, with participating in the ambush as well.

With McBee's trial only days away in the case, the district attorney's office has abruptly changed tack, presenting a new theory of the case alleging the plot to kill the Troy-based rapper over what has been described as a "beef." He is represented by attorney Bruce Leonard

Though the new indictment contains several drug-related counts against the two, law enforcement officials do not believe that drugs were behind the deadly shooting.

The prosecution originally contended McBee acted alone, gunning down Miller on March 8, 2012, at the intersection of Madison and Third streets, where police found a gun lying at the scene.

Ahearn also took issue with some of the lesser charges included in the indictment.

"In this indictment today McBee is charged with possessing cocaine, as well as two other individuals," Ahearn said. "And both of those individuals have been cleared of charges for possessing that cocaine, and now my client (Clark) has been charged with possessing the same cocaine at the same location at the same time."

Ahearn believes the prosecution is "just trying to find somebody to hang that charge on," and believes the charges against Clark ultimately will not stand up.

Police found the drugs at a Troy apartment McBee fled to after the shooting.

Both men pled not guilty to all charges, after which Judge Ceresia remanded them back into custody without bail.